08/22/2012

Moron of the week, #39

I was going to write something nice about the CAA, having just received the latest issue of the CAA magazine, and finding that the main article (aside from the travel items, anyway) was about motor vehicles and bicycles sharing the road.

There's even an online poll at the CAA Magazine web page (although no copy at this writing of the Share the road article) asking for opinions on share the road campaigns and the co-existence of bikes and cars on our roads.

All good.

And then as I was waiting for the bus, I watched as a CAA tow driver laid on the horn to force a cyclist over to the curb on Ottawa Street in Kitchener. From my vantage point, the cyclist was simply riding along Ottawa, a street that does not have bike lanes at that point, and so was justifiably occupying enough of the road to ensure that overtaking vehicles would have to move over to pass.

Not good enough for the CAA representative, who may not have heard about sharing the road. The tow driver did know how to use the horn.

Comments

I was on the iXpress heading to work just this morning and the GRT bus driver laid on the horn at a cyclist riding completely legally on King Street in Uptown. The cyclist ended up switching to the sidewalk.

From my understanding, the CAA is effectively a lobby group for car drivers, and in the past have been quite critical of efforts to, say, take out the centre lane when there isn't enough room for bike lanes.

@ Phil. I will do something separate on the CAA article. It touched a lot of the usual bases, including The Share the Road Cycling Coalition, but also noted the ambivalence about shared roads from motorists that continues to be a problem for cyclists. When a CAA vehicle, or a GRT bus, forces a bike to leave the road, you know there is a whole lot of educating to do.

Maybe its time that the Region of Waterloo & the G.R.T properly train their drivers on how to share the road. Region bus drivers are worse than truckers when it comes to giving cyclists space. I was nearly clipped by a GRT bus in a bike lane on Holiday Inn Dr in Cambridge a couple of weeks ago- the bus was in the bike lane.

Stand at the corner of University and Phillip for half a day and see how many close calls there are.
Unfortunately it's a 50-50 split on who's fault it is I think. If I'm in my car turning right, cyclists will fly by me without even looking or trying to make sure I can see them. I like to think I do my part to share the road, but this really does go both ways.
I guess it irk's me to see a lot of comments crying foul all the time for motorists. I play in both worlds and there are just as many bad cyclists.

@ Steve Bill and anyone else who has been in a similar situation with a GRT Transit Bus. Let me profusely apologise for that drivers actions. GRT strives to be a model in this community. We have training in place to assure our high standards are met. I am a cyclist and a GRT bus driver looking for better roads ahead. I truly believe that motorists and any other road users can learn to share the road.

@Mitch - if you're making a right turn onto Philip from University, you should be (carefully, respectfully) moving to the right so that you're next to the curb before making the turn. Note that the line defining the bike lane becomes a dashed line about 10 metres back from the intersection.

Having proper lane position while in a car will prevent cyclists from zipping up on the inside, and putting themselves in danger.

Like Phil said, I always thought/viewed CAA as a car lobby group.
They do provide a worth while service IMO if you do drive (often), but I question their motives with regards to bikes and sharing the road.
I think it was 2 years ago the debate on University (Toronto) having a bike lane, CAA was the only group their against it.

As for city vehicles. St. Catharines city employees have always been ridiculously courteous towards bikes.
Where possible they mount the curb so they don't park in the bike lane.

I completely support this City becoming cycle-friendly. However, I thnk that, somehow, cyclists need their own defined, and safe lane. Whether this would be a curb separating a bike lane from the driving lane, I'm not sure: I'm not an engineer. I am a driver who cannot bike anymore. I'm careful around, and cautious of, cyclists. I don't want to have to live with accidentally hitting one. I would like cyclists to obey the damn rules of the road. In the past two days, I've had one veer in front of me from the cycle lane for no apparent reason and many not signal intent to turn. I also think that cyclists should be licenced as some don't KNOW the rules of the road.

@Laura,
I'm not sure whether you're serious or not, but do you notice the countless motorists speeding, not signalling or drifting from lane to lane?
I know that speeding has become a commonly accepted thing in our society. When a cop finally does pull over and ticket a speeding motorist, people cry bloody murder -- claiming it is a cash grab.

Ironically enough motorists ARE licensed and still don't KNOW the rules of the road.
Would you also accept EVERY motorist be re-tested with a far stricter testing procedure?